Cook Hack: Make vegetable chips in the microwave

Make vegetable chips in the microwave: This is one of those ideas that I never thought really worked until I tried it — multiple times — with great success. Turning raw vegetables into crunchy "chips" by zapping them in the microwave for a few minutes is an easy way to jazz up your late-night snacking and save yourself the fat that comes with added oils. (Hint: If you compare the fat and calorie contents of regular potato chips and the sweet potato/beet variety at the grocery store, they often come out to be the same.) Kale and sweet potato work especially well using this technique. To make kale chips, tear some kale (about 2 cups) into 2-inch pieces and remove the stems. Wash the pieces and then make sure they are thoroughly dried. In a bowl, toss kale with 4 teaspoons canola or vegetable oil, then sprinkle with salt. Place in a single layer on a microwavable plate (you might have to do this in a couple of batches) and microwave for 3 minutes. If leaves aren't quite crispy, keep microwaving in 30-second increments until crispy. To make sweet potato chips, slice one sweet potato very thin (a mandoline would work great here) then arrange slices in a single layer on a microwavable plate. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, then microwave for 4 minutes. Again, check for crispiness. If they're not crispy enough, microwave for 30 seconds at a time until done. Michelle Stark, Times food editor

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